Sweep or wreck-finder.



PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

E. B. PETRIE. SWEEP 0R WRBGK FINDER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1906.

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WITNESSES //KMI kg.

ENDS BLANCHARD PETRIE, OF NEW YORK, N Y.

$WEEF DR WREGK-FINDER.

no. ssasos.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed September 17, 1906. Serial No- 334,354.

To all Uh/0771' it may concern:

Be known that I, Enos BLANOHARD PE- rnrn, of the city of New Yorli, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sweep or Wreck- Finder, oi which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in deepsea apparatus which .is intended to sweep the bottom on a rather comprehensive scale, with a view of locating sunken vessels or other bulky things.

The object of my invention is to produce a system by which a whole series of boats can be held at a definite distance apart and in which lines dropped from the several boats can be held together in a sort of open net arrangement, each line having a separate weight, so that a wide sweep can be made and a sunken vessel or other article located be tween the outer boats readily found. In this way 1 can covera large lot of territory, and at the same time the individual lines will indicate the exact csition of the wreck or whatever it is whic is. to be located. All this is to the end that when located diving apparatus can be. sent down to save whatever is desirable of the wreck or other thing.

To this my invention consists of a sweeping and dragging system which will be hereinafter described in detail, and the novel features claimed. I

' Reference to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure l is a diagrammatic plan of the apparatus necessary'to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a section through a body'of water, showing the boats in end elevation and the rest of the apparatus in diagram.

In carrying out in invention I use two relatively large steamboat-s or tugs 10, which are placed on the outer sides of the system,

and between them can be placed and properly spaced any necessary number of smaller boats 11, the distance between which is regulated by fastening them to a hawser or line 12, which'is stretched from one boat'lO to the other. The boats will ell'travelforward at the same speed, and in order that the distance between the outer boats can be mainteined the rudder of one-ccnbe'set to port and of the other to starboard. The line 12 can be made fast in any convenient way, and

it should not be too far forward so as to interfere with the steering. From the stern of each boat 10 and 11 is dropped'alineoljl having at the bottom "a weight or drag 14, Enema the outer weight 14 should be considerably heavier than the others, so that the outer lines 13 and weights 14, acting with the outer boats 10, will serve as guides for the inter-- vening boats and lines. The several lines 13 are connected by a cross-line 15, which is located relatively near the 'lowercmls firthe lines 13, so that they shall be properlyspaced, and for convenience the tops of the several lines are secured to windlasses or reels 16,

which can be of any approved construction and by which the lines "can be lowered or ra1sed,as desired.

It is obvious that I can use any necessary number of boats 11 and corresponding lines 13 and that when the whole system of boats is under way, with/the bows of the boats sct, respectively, port and starboard the space between the severalboats will be maintained, and the space between the several lines will also be maintained, so that I can sweep over a large surface of the bottom, and the location of any large obstruction will be indicated by its contact with a particular weight or weights 14. It will be understood, of course, that the character of the boats, the scheme for fastening the lines, and the apparatus for raising and lowering them forms no part of the invention and that any usual device or ap aratus of these kinds can be used.

laving thus fully described my invention,

I claim .asnew an desire to secure by-Lettors Patent- 1. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a series of boats with meansfor spacing them apart in broadside relation, 'a separate weighted line for each boat,- and means for connecting and spacing the several lines.- i

2. An apparatus of the described comprising a series of boats spaced and held apart in broadside relation, a separate weighted line forreach. boat, a connection between the several lincs,.a11d means for raising andlowering the several lines. 1;; v

3. An apparatus of the kind ilsci ibed comprising a series of boats 'spaced-and hel apart in broadsiderelation, a separate weighted line for each boat, means for raising, and lowering the several lines, an under-water no eonneetien between the several lines, and a, ing and lowering them; there beings line for connection above Water between the several each boat, and a connection between the seV- 1o beets. I f erel lines. '4. A systemo the kind described comrising a pair of relatively large boats each I ENDS BLANOHARD PETRIE' arming a, (inert of the system, smaller beets Witnesses: spaced an held apart between the larger ISAAC C. YORK, boats, weighted lines'heving means for rais- FRANK L.-STUBBs. 

